Marauding isn't always a charm
by Mezh
Summary: how does our Marauders do in their 6th year. Will they be able to cope with the pressure of love and increasing homework and still be able to do their pranks and what will they do to old Snivellus next ?
1. Hogwarts Express

Disclaimer: I don't own anything that has to do with the Harry Potter universe. I do however own the plot and characters: Sandra Williams, Janie Summers and Katherine Willows and Adam Caine.

**Marauding isn't always a charm!**

_Chapter 1: The Hogwarts Express._

"POTTER!!!!" A loud angry cry was heard all over the Hogwarts Express. Followed by a roar of laughter from the rest of the people in the compartment.

Standing in the middle of the compartment was a girl with amazing green eyes, which was now flaming with fury. Lily Evans had blue and purple stripes in her normally deeply red hair. She was aiming her fury at a boy sitting relaxed in the seat by the window. He kept running his hand through his wild jet-black hair and was grinning widely. James Potter tried to look innocent and said:

"Sorry Evans, I wish I could take all the credit for your beautiful appearance but I have to say that he is responsible for the blue stripes." He pointed at a handsome boy with black hair that nearly reached his waist, Sirius Black. "Nice one, mate." he added with a grin.

"I couldn't have done it without Moony, it was him who taught me the hex" he said and nodded in the direction of Remus Lupin, who was trying to suppress a grin.

"You, better turn it back before we are there, Potter" Lily said in a icy tone, "or else...." She let the treat hang in the air, and plummeted with a sigh down in her seat between to girls. One wasn't very tall, but she was stunning. She had blond hair to her shoulders and a gorgeous smile. Her name was Janie Summers. The other girl was her opposite but no less beautiful. She had thick brown hair that reached the middle of her back. Brown deer eyes and she was pretty tall. Her name was Katherine Willows.

"Don't worry Lily" Janie said reassuringly, "Sandra will know the counter curses, you can bet on that"

"Blah" Sirius said but no one noticed.

"Where is she anyway?" Katherine asked with increasing curiosity. "I haven't seen her since we boarded the train".

"She's talking to that Ravenclaw seeker, Adam Caine" Janie said and added with sigh, "He is SO cute".

Both Sirius and Remus groaned. James added trying to sound very serious " I don't hope your friend will be fraternising to much with the enemy, Lily-kins.

Lily was just about to give him a piece of her mind, when the door opened and in came Sandra. Sandra Williams was by the looks of her an average girl with blond hair. There where nothing extraordinary about her looks, except for the blue eyes. She could pierce through anything with that blue gaze of hers. However there was nothing average about her intelligence. All of he other girls did very well in school, but it did seem that without hardly any effort, Sandra was able to top them by just a little.

All the girls got up to hug their friend and the Remus and James greeted her fondly too. Sirius however, did only nod in her direction and mumbled "Williams. Back again to torment us all by your delightful presence?"

Sandra, ignoring Sirius completely, turned and looked at Lily with a small grin twitching in the corners of her mouth.

"Let me guess" she said, trying hard not to laugh now. "Potter did this to your hair?"

"However did you get so wise?" Lily sighed "I was hoping that you knew the counter curse to this _stupid_ prank?"

Sandra pointed her wand at Lily's hair and mumbled the counter curse and as her hair returned to it's normal colour, the train rolled into Hogsmeade.


	2. Flashback

_Chapter 2: Flashback_

After the feast all 4 of the marauders where relaxing in the squashy chairs in the Gryffindor common room plotting on their next plan to prank the Slytherins. As were Katherine and Janie, when the portrait swung open and in walked Lily and Sandra. Sirius looked up and his eyes were cold as ice.

"Great, Williams, you're everywhere!" he spat and got up from his chair, "I'm turning in early, night everyone.

"Padfoot" James exclaimed but as Sirius didn't react, he turned to Sandra and continued. "Williams, now I want to know what has happened between you and Sirius this summer. Why is he acting this way ?"

"Yeah, Sandra, you two seemed to be getting along very fine when we left Hogwarts last year, what's up?" Remus said looking very worried. "Sirius nearly didn't eat at the feast. That's not like him at all. He's always stuffing his face."

"Tell them Sandra, we'll be here for you if it gets hard, wont we girls? "Lily said softly. Katherine and Janie nodded in silent agreement.

"All right" Sandra said, her voice trembling and her eyes filling with tears. "I will tell you what happened this summer: - I met up with Sirius in London before he went to visit you, James. We both stayed at The Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley. We had a couple of amazing days...."

"Can't have been that amazing, the way he has been acting." Peter interrupted.

"Shut up, _Wormtail_" Lily said while grabbing Sandra's hand and squeezing it, to let her know she was there for her. "Go on, Hun."

"We went to muggle theatres in London." she said. "Explored both Diagon alley and the muggle part of London. It was really good fun. And I..." a tear slid down her cheek." I can't believe I feel in love with at Marauder. I mean, I know how much the girls adore him, and of course he couldn't stop flirting with any two-legged creature with breasts."

James snorted with laughter but Lily eyed him and he fell silent.

Sandra continued now half sobbing. "I asked him why and what would happen when we got back to school. He said he wouldn't want to be tied down, so we had a mayor fight. He left and later he returned, quite drunk and with his x-girlfriend. You know, Chaney Brinks from Hufflepuff. They spent the night in his room. So next day I packed my bags and left. He said that if I left he would never speak to me again, but I did it anyway.... I think I still love him, though. "

Every eye was on Sandra and there was complete silence when James suddenly broke it. "Sounds like Padfoot, but I don't get the "not talking to you"- part."

"I agree, Prongs" Remus said. "It's normally the girl that won't speak to him, when he pulls these stunts. He definitely has a problem with bonding with one girl and stay with her, but this is strange. Something's not right with him this time."

"It'll be all right, girl." Lily said to Sandra who's face was still covered in tears. "Let's get you in to bed." "Come on, girls" she said to Katherine and Janie.

A few minutes after the girls had vanished up the stairs, James spoke.

"Oh Yes, I definitely think it will be all right" James said with at sudden twinkle in his eyes.

"You thinking the same as me, Prongs?" Remus asked.

James nodded and Remus continued; "Padfoot is in love. But he's to stubborn to give in. We must come up with something to get them together."

James sighed. "I wish I had any idea, but if I had I would use it on Lils. I hope I can convince her to go out with me this year."

Remus nodded and suddenly blushed as he said. "I think Janie has developed a lot this summer. She's really pretty and we are such good friends. Do you have anybody in mind this year, Wormtail?"

Peter shook his head. "I gave up un Katherine last year. She's way to good for me."

"What a year this is going to be..." James nearly spat the words... " Welcome to another year at Hogwarts!"

Remus and Peter laughed at James' sudden seriousness and when James realised how stupid he had just sounded, he grinned and ruffled his hair. "Let's go to bed."


	3. Right Back At Ya, Malfoy!

Chapter 3 : Right back at ya, Malfoy. 

A few weeks later as Sandra and Katherine was heading down for breakfast, they heard a drawling voice behind them.

"Williams and Willows, good morning, my dear ladies "

They span around quickly and saw Lucius Malfoy alongside the greasy haired Severus Snape. Katherine spat at Malfoy; "We are NOT your ladies, and we never will be." Eying Malfoy's long blond hair she continued. "Do you really think we could ever like a malicious little drag queen as yourself or your slimy little boyfriend?"

"Yes, she did mean you, _Snivellus_!"Sandra added in a mocking voice.

"You will pay for this you filthy little Mudbloods." Snape mumbled under his breath.

"I am sure we will." Katherine said and turned her back to leave, but Sandra, who saw Snape point his wand at Katherine's back, pointed hers at Snape and screamed; "EXPELLIARMUS!" The wand flew from his hand and just as Malfoy was cursing Sandra someone jumped in front of her and shouted; "Protego." and Malfoy's Furnunculus curse flew back at him, and his face erupted in pus filled boils.

Sirius turned around to face Sandra, who was gazing astonished at him. She was just about to say something to him, when he spoke.

"Don't thank me Williams, I just didn't want to let go of an opportunity to humiliate Malfoy. That's it. "he smiled slightly when he continued. "Also, boils doesn't suit you, and I do after all have to look at you every day."

Sandra's eye twitched and then she snapped. All the pain from the love she had for him and all the frustration from the weeks of bickering and fighting peaked and she exploded screaming at him.

"Black! You stupid idiot... You have such a big head. I would think you have an ego at the size of Africa. Do you really think I need you to save me?? "her blue eyes piercing through his as she let out her rage. "Go turn someone's hair blue and leave me alone. Isn't this what you do best....?"

At that moment Janie and Remus came out from inside a broom closet, she was giggling wildly and Remus was blushing extremely. They where holding hands. Sirius glanced nervously at Sandra as if he expected her to curse him at any time but then he turned around grinning at Remus.

"Oi, Moony. So what's going on?"

Janie answered Sirius's question, still giggling girlishly. "Remus saved me from Peeves...." She started but Remus interrupted her.

"I... I didn't save you. Not like you where in any danger." he stated but was quickly interrupted by Janie again.

"Oh, you're just modest. Peeves were throwing chalk at me, but then Remus turned up and used that Wadi Wassi spell on him, so all the chalk flew right back at him. Then we ran in to a hidden passage behind a statue of Gwalkin the Grim. It was very dark and we bumped into each other and then we... we..." she blushed to a dark shade of pink.

"Then we came out in this broom closet." Remus saved her though he was still blushing heavily.

"Ah.... This seems to be a morning of romance" a voice said from behind. There stood James and Lily. "Lily-kins has just agreed to go out with me next Hogsmeade weekend" he said grinning and his eyes twinkling triumphantly.

"Potter! I have done no such thing." Lily's eyes were flaming but she couldn't help smiling at his persistence.

"Ooohh.... Please please please. Lily-kins. Say you will? Just once... you won't regret it." James said begging puppy eyes directed towards her.

Lily received quite a few angry glares from other girls at this. If anyone had a bigger fan club than Sirius it was James. You wouldn't find many girls in the school that wasn't or had been in love with James Potter,

"Oh. James Potter. I hate you." But she smiled warmly, her eyes no longer flaming. "If I go out with you once, will you get of my back then?"

James nodded and Lily said.

"Oh... Fuck it then... Let's go out next Hogsmeade weekend. But just once Potter. Remember? Just ONCE!"

But James was dancing around the entrance hall. Overwhelmed with joy he was singing;

"Yes. Evans and Potter sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G."

Everyone laughed at him except for Lily who looked sternly at him.

"I'm warning you Potter. Be careful or I'll might take it back." she said, but her breath was wasted.

Sirius, his spirits lifted by his best friend's joy, turned around to say something to Sandra. But she was already gone.


	4. In the stars lies the future

Chapter 4: In The Stars Lie The Future 

All that day, no one saw Sandra. She even missed Transfiguration, which were her favourite class.

Lily, Janie and Katherine of course knew where she was, but didn't tell anyone and didn't visit her, as she had it requested it so. They did instead tell the teachers that she was feeling sick. Not one teacher questioned this, as Sandra normally was a "wonder-student".

Katherine and Remus was going on all day, telling Sirius what a great idiot he was, if he would permit Sandra to slip through his fingers. Soon Lily and Janie followed, telling him over and over what a big slimeball he had been sleeping with Chaney just to prove his point to Sandra.

Sirius, of course, knew all this all ready and had a very guilty conscience. He had felt miserable for weeks, missing Sandra so badly. He had even lost his appetite. He didn't know what to do, so he kept hurting her intentionally, but that just made him feel even worse about himself. He knew that he had screwed up, but he had too much pride to admit it and apologize.

After dinner Sirius pulled away James, who was the only one who hadn't been nagging him all day, and asked him;

"Prongs. You got to help me, mate. What can I do about Sandra?"

James looked at his best friend and answered with an expression that was so serious that it even surprised himself;

"Sirius. You are my best friend and I would do anything for you, but..." he frowned at the black-haired boy. "But you're on your own with this. You know you screwed up, and if you don't you are an idiot. You got to fix this yourself. I can't do that for you...."

"So you won't help then?" Sirius glared at his best friend.

"I can only give you a piece of advice. I only have 4 words for you, mate." James smiled slightly at his friend. "Forget your pride. Apologize."

"Right then." Sirius said looking frustrated. "That's SO easy." Listen, can I borrow your cloak, tonight? I need to go up to the astronomy tower and think this over."

James merely nodded at his friend.

* * *

Just before midnight Sirius put on James invisibility cloak and set of for the Astronomy tower. He was nearly caught by Filch, as he was so deep in thoughts on his way up a flight of stairs that he didn't see the caretaker come out from a secret passage and nearly bumped into him.

He opened the door at the top of the tower and went out into the cool evening breeze and was just about to drop the cloak, as he saw two girls in the corner, one sitting on the floor starring at stars, the other, a red-haired girl, beside her, talking softly. He stood still by the wall, listening to the conversation between the two girls, he knew so well.

"You know, you can't stay up here forever, Sandra." The red-haired said. "Are you sure you won't come down with me?"

Her eyes still directed towards the stars, she slowly replied with a voice that was hoarse and indicated that she had been crying a lot.

"Thanks, Lils, but I like it up here, I feel free to think and I need that now. I am tired of crying like a little baby." She smiled weakly. "It's time I used my brain to find a way out of this mess with Sirius. He doesn't love me and I'll just have to accept that.... "

Lily interrupted the girl and said with a twinkle in her green eyes; "But I think he does love you. I just don't think he's ready for..."

"NO!" Sandra cut her of in a harsh voice, then sighed and continued. "I don't want to hear it Lily. Not anymore. I am tired of making excuses for both of us. I am too soft and he is too hard. He's not ready for commitment and I am too ready. Blah blah." She rolled her eyes. "I guess it's just not meant to be right now. Maybe I can stop caring and maybe I can't. I'll just have to find a way to live with it. "A tear lingered in the corner of her eye as she added. "And it's not like there isn't plenty of stars in the sky, if you know what I mean?"

Lily eyed her friend with concern, knowing that whatever Sandra said, she wouldn't stop loving Sirius. She knew her friend better than to believe that. But there was nothing she could do. She knew how stubborn Sandra could be when she set her mind to something. She sighed and said:

"Well, I don't know what to say then, so I guess I'll be heading downstairs now. I hope you feel better soon." She stood up and went to the door. "See you in the morning, Hun." She added and then left.

Sirius, his mind racing over what Sandra had just said, waited a bit after Lily had left before he silently slipped of the cloak and went over towards Sandra.

"Hey Williams." he whispered softly trying not to startle her more than necessary.

Sandra's body twitched suddenly in shock, but her head didn't move and her eyes were still glued to the sky. She had recognised the voice immediately, but his presence had caught her of guard.

"Sirius, I didn't hear you come" she said and then added with a suspicious voice "What are you doing up here at this time of the night?"

"Just came up for a bit of thinking, but I see you have already taken up the good seats" he smiled at her feeling a sudden urge to take her in his arms, but he resisted. "I haven't seen you all day. Have you been up here all the time?"

"None of your business, is it Black?" she snapped suddenly still not taking her eyes of the sky.

"Come on..." Sirius started, "Let's burry the hatchet, Williams. Let's make a truce, eh?"

"That mean you'll stop pulling those ridiculous pranks on me, then?" she said with an air of someone who really wanted to talk about something else.

"Not a chance in hell." Sirius answered with a small grin and then quickly added; "I hate the fighting and bickering all the time, though."

"Me to..." she said trembling slightly. "But you..." she stopped not wanting to tell him about her pain.

"What?" he said, "Come on, I what?"

"You hurt me" she said for the first time turning her head from sky to look in his eyes.

"You left...!" he snapped back at her, not really wishing it to turn into another fight, but still to proud to admit he had been a jerk.

"So what if I left?" her blue eyes was lit with fury now. How could he be so thick? With an icy voice she spoke on. "What did you expect me to do? You said you didn't want to be tied down. You slept with that... that cow. I know most girls wouldn't ever dream of leaving you, but do you expect me to put up with that behaviour? You made it clear to me that you weren't interested in me being anything but a fling when you let Chaney in to your bed again."

He was reluctant to admit she had struck a nerve. Girls never did leave Sirius Black he always left them when he got bored with them. When he had told Sandra that he didn't want to be tied down, he hadn't known the full extent of his feelings for her. He did like her a lot and they had been very good friends, but he hadn't thought her much more but another conquest. It was when he had had Chaney in is room that night, he realised how he felt about Sandra. But it was to late then. The damage had been done and she left him.

"Well, you never just walk away and leave Sirius Black" he spat at her, looking straight in to her ice blue eyes.

"Watch me!" she sneered and got on her feet turning her back at him heading for the door.

Quickly he to was on his feet and he grabbed her shoulder to turn her back to face him again. He couldn't stand it if she left again.

"Sandra." He said softly, his voice not angry anymore. "Don't leave..." His voice broke shortly. Remembering what James said he continued. "I'm sorry. I've been a jerk. Sandra, Please?"

"Why...?" she said gazing at him. "Why should I stay?"

"I need you to forgive me" he stated simply.

She looked sadly at him and shook her head lightly. "I can't. Not right now anyway." She wanted to be with him, but she couldn't give in this way. She grabbed his hand and squeezed it slightly. "I need some time. I am, however, willing to take you up upon that truce, you suggested before?" she smiled weakly at him. "Friends?"

Not completely satisfied but still knowing that right now this was all she could give him, Sirius smiled slightly back at her and stated; "Friends!"

* * *

A/N : I am sorry if I make to much romantic blabber, but I am a sucker for romance. I do however promise that now Sirius and Sandra is friends again, there will me a lot more humor and pranking going on. Please RR. Thanks.


	5. This one's on you, Mr Potter

Chapter 5 : 

The following morning, all four of the marauders sat down in the great hall eating breakfast; as the four girls sat down to join them.

"Morning, Williams" Sirius smiled at Sandra and winked, "Had a pleasant night?"

"Very pleasant indeed, Mr. Black" she replied politely, "And you, sir?"

Sirius let out his typical bark-like laugh, then winked at her again and said; "A little chilly, but else it wasn't bad, thank you very much, Miss Williams."

Peter looked puzzled and shook his head slightly from side to side in confusion and James put his hand on Sirius' forehead to check as if he was sick and had a fever. Katherine, Lily and Janie stared at Sandra with bulging eyes.

Remus finally smiled and asked "Sirius? Sandra? Would any of you care for filling us in on what's happened?"

"Yeah," Lily said, "Yesterday you couldn't stand being in the same room. How come you've stopped bickering?"

"We've just decided to burry the hatchet, sort of speak." Sirius said plainly looking at Remus.

"So you two are together now?" Janie asked hopefully.

Sirius frowned slightly, but covered it quickly with at smile, hoping no one had noticed.

"No, we are just good friends." Sandra said, giving her girlfriends a look that said she would explain everything later.

"But Padfoot...." James started having noticed his best mate frowning, but shut his mouth when Sirius to sent him a look, that said he would fill him in later.

"Now would someone, please, pass me the pancakes" Sirius said hungrily eying James' plate. "And the toast to, I haven't had a descent meal in weeks, thanks to you Williams!" he winked at Sandra.

Sandra just shrugged and then joined her friends' roar of laughter when Sirius nearly choked trying to swallow a whole pancake and a piece of toast at the same time.

* * *

Later that evening in the common room, the marauders and the four girls, sat at the blazing fireplace, no one talking about the current state of the relationship between Sirius and Sandra, as both the remaining boys and girls had been filled in by either of them. Everyone, including the couple in mention, had decided just to enjoy the peace of the truce for now.

While the girls where working on their latest 1 foot and 3 inch essay for Potions, about the various uses of Dragon Blood, the four marauders where huddled together, trying to come up with a good prank on Severus Snape.

"We could bewitch his hair to look even more greasy?" suggested Peter happily.

Remus shook his head and smiled haughtily at Peter and said "I doubt that will be a possible feat, Wormtail, but nice try, though."

"How about turning old Snivellus into a goat?" James suggested merrily, but was cut of by a grinning Sirius.

"You did that last year, Prongs. Did you forget?" he said with a provoking grin, "Are you getting that old, mate?"

James gave a snort of laughter and threw a cushion at Sirius, but he ducked and it hit Lily squarely in the face and knocked over her inkbottle.

"Potter! You moron!" Lily shrieked at him. "Look at this mess."

"No problem, Lily-kins," James said with a supercilious grin spread across his face. He took out his wand and said loudly; "Scourgify!"

James eyes widened in shock as everything happened in slow motion. He had meant to clean up the spilt ink, and so he did. But he had been so enthusiastic that also the writing on every parchment disappeared. All four of the girls essays was now gone. Back was only four pieces of blank parchment.

Sirius, Remus and Peter were having a fit of laughter, but the girls weren't amused at all. Like one voice they all shrieked his name and stood up.

One by one, they all raised their wands and threw a hex on him.

Janie's hex hit James and his before so supercilious grin turned into a rainbow coloured row of teeth.

Katherine's hex hit him right in the face, and his skin started to turn green, spreading all over his body.

Sandra cast a transfiguration spell on his nose, so it grew several inches and left him with an unmistakable foul smell of dragon dung.

And at last Lily's spell hit him fully on his most sensitive place, his hair, which grew rapidly to it reached his waist and turned blue with red stars.

By now the remaining people in the common room had turned to watch the scene and was screaming with laughter, seeing the leader of the Marauders being pranked severely. Barely able to move from laughter, Sirius conjured a big mirror for James to look in, and when he saw his new self he screamed at the girls with fury.

"TURN ME BACK! NOW!!" he was frustrated, not at all used to being the one people played pranks on.

"Maybe tomorrow, Potter" Lily said calmly with a mischievous smile.

"Yeah, we have been waiting for this opportunity for so long, to end it this fast." Janie said her eyes twinkling.

"You mean, you have planned this?" he asked, surprised at the thought that girls could plan such a prank.

"Ever since you messed with Lily's hair on the Hogwarts Express" Sandra said grinning widely.

"You've got to be impressed, Prongs!" Remus managed to say between to fits of laughter.

"It's not like you've hadn't had it coming for the last few years, James" Katherine smiled wickedly.

"You 4 better turn me back before morning or else...." James glared at them, unwilling to admit to them, that had they did this to somebody other than him, it would have been a remarkable good prank.

"Or else what, Jamie-kins?" Lily said in a mock sweet voice. "You'll what? Pranks us all to death?"

"As if you wouldn't all ready." Katherine mumbled.

Sirius, who was now slightly recovering from his laughter attack, turned towards the girls and said.

"As brilliant as this prank might be, I don't see why Remus, Peter and I have to suffer?"

"What do you mean, Mr Black?" Sandra said eyeing him with a puzzled expression. "Are your eyes to sore to look at our new beauty queen, Jamie Potter?"

"No, not all, but no offence Prongs." Sirius said quickly eyeing James. "But you stink, mate."

"Hey! " James exclaimed. "That's out of bounds, Padfoot." Eyeing Remus he continued. "Say something will you, Moony. You're a prefect. Do some justice."

"Sorry, mate" Remus grinned. "But you do stink." Turning towards the girls he said; "We do have to share a dormitory with him tonight, will you please remove the smell of dung?"

Sandra nodded and mumbled a counter curse and James nose shrank and the smell of dung disappeared.

Janie said something to, and James' teeth returned to normal. Katherine to returned his skin to the normal colour, but Lily just smirked at James and said ;

"I won't undo your hair Mr. Potter, sorry." She grinned wickedly at him. "Not yet anyway. Let it be a reminder for you to behave yourself, for a while."

James groaned and went to bed followed by the rest of the marauders. The girls sat down grinning and started their essays yet again.


End file.
